Goalies

[SamJunior]

So Conklin will be an UFA after this season if I'm correct.
Would you resign him, or bring in another veteran goalie to back up Halak, or would you go with Bishop or Allen as the back up?
Bishop has solid numbers so far this season down in Peoria but his W% is just .500, while Allen has been awesome with 13-3 in 16 starts and has amazing numbers (1.60 GAA, .950 SV%).
I'm curious to know what do you guys think about this.

[WaukeeBlues]

As always, I defer on this question to the coaches and to especially the goalie coaches.

Worst thing we can do is rush Allen and make a possibly great prospect get his confidence shot or he gets shelled when we bring him up... which amounts to the same thing. I'm happy if they re-sign Conklin/ other backup goalie and I'm happy if they let Conklin walk and bring in Allen to play back up. Whatever they do though, I want a calm and evaluated decision of either "Allen's ready" or "no he's not."

[brynec]

Conklin I think will be gone after this year and Bishop will move up to be the back up and let Allen get the majority of the playing time in Peoria while fine tuning his game. I can see Allen being the starter when Halak's contract is up and I am not sure where that would leave Bishop.

[cardsfan04]

It's going to be pretty difficult for the Blues to disappoint me with how they handle this. Conklin is a fine backup, but I probably would prefer Bishop for the lesser price (and he's from my high school, so I'm a little partial). I would definitely not rush Allen, but if they think he's ready, have at it. It wouldn't shock me if Bishop gets traded either.

[thedoc]

Trade one of them. I don't care if you trade Halak or Allen. We need a scorer and their trade value is high.

[glen a richter]

Jake Allen ftw! I guarantee the first Blues goalie to get his name etched on the cup as a Blue will be Jake Allen.

He'll back up Halak next season and Halak will be summarily relieved of his duties as Blues #1 goalie shortly thereafter, his purpose on this team having been served admirably (in spite of his cement glove)

[dmiles2186]

My guess (and it's purely that) is that Bishop will be the backup next year while Allen logs all the time he can get in Peoria. Two seasons from now, Allen will be called to back up Halak. And three seasons from now, Allen will back up and eventually take the starting goalie job. Purely a guess, but I'm quite excited about Allen, though I've yet to see him live in action.

[philco_3]

If anything go with Bishop next year.

[cprice12]

My guess (and it's purely that) is that Bishop will be the backup next year while Allen logs all the time he can get in Peoria. Two seasons from now, Allen will be called to back up Halak. And three seasons from now, Allen will back up and eventually take the starting goalie job. Purely a guess, but I'm quite excited about Allen, though I've yet to see him live in action.

I saw Allen in last year's WJC against the USA...and, well...I'll be honest...he sucked in the championship game.

[cardsfan04]

My guess (and it's purely that) is that Bishop will be the backup next year while Allen logs all the time he can get in Peoria. Two seasons from now, Allen will be called to back up Halak. And three seasons from now, Allen will back up and eventually take the starting goalie job. Purely a guess, but I'm quite excited about Allen, though I've yet to see him live in action.

This is what I think will happen too.

[cardsfan04]

My guess (and it's purely that) is that Bishop will be the backup next year while Allen logs all the time he can get in Peoria. Two seasons from now, Allen will be called to back up Halak. And three seasons from now, Allen will back up and eventually take the starting goalie job. Purely a guess, but I'm quite excited about Allen, though I've yet to see him live in action.

I saw Allen in last year's WJC against the USA...and, well...I'll be honest...he sucked in the championship game.

IIRC, he gave up 5 goals or something. 1 game though, so not too worried.

[dmiles2186]

My guess (and it's purely that) is that Bishop will be the backup next year while Allen logs all the time he can get in Peoria. Two seasons from now, Allen will be called to back up Halak. And three seasons from now, Allen will back up and eventually take the starting goalie job. Purely a guess, but I'm quite excited about Allen, though I've yet to see him live in action.

I saw Allen in last year's WJC against the USA...and, well...I'll be honest...he sucked in the championship game.

IIRC, he gave up 5 goals or something. 1 game though, so not too worried.

Ah, that's true. I did see that. But that was a 5-4 or 6-5 game or something. It went into OT. His numbers in Peoria have been pretty phenomenal this year.

[glen a richter]

I got lambasted for blasting Cement Glove based on one game, so it would be relatively hypocritical, I think, to turn around and blast Allen for one game.

[Robb_K]

Bishop will be the backup. He can handle relatively low pressure for an NHL rookie goalie, and play 15 games. Meanwhile, Allen will play most of the games for Peoria and dominate in The AHL.

He'll be the next back-up in 2012-13, and may beat out Halak one to two years after that.

[Krigloch the Furious]

the absolute last thing im worried about with this team is its goaltending.
MUST. SCORE. GOALS!!!!!!!!!!!

[xbleed83bluex]

Trade one of them. I don't care if you trade Halak or Allen. We need a scorer and their trade value is high.

That's insane. If we had a 50-goal scorer on the team but crappy goaltending, you'd be saying "Trade the scorer. We need a goaltender and his trade value is high." We need both great goaltending AND a scorer. If we trade a great goalie away for a scorer, we're in the same exact position we are now! Only recipricated.

[xbleed83bluex]

Definitely let Conklin walk. Hell, with Allen and Bishop in Peoria, Halak's practically in the way. Much less Conklin. Conklin is beginning to suck - I'm always nervous when the Blues start him. Even though Halak is slipping from where he was at the beginning of the season, I'm much more confident when he's in the net.

When Allen comes up next year, and starts playing great for us, I bet we're going to have 2 great goaltenders, like San Jose and Minnesota did at one point. That'd be nice.

[purple_haze]

Definitely let Conklin walk. Hell, with Allen and Bishop in Peoria, Halak's practically in the way. Much less Conklin. Conklin is beginning to suck - I'm always nervous when the Blues start him. Even though Halak is slipping from where he was at the beginning of the season, I'm much more confident when he's in the net.

When Allen comes up next year, and starts playing great for us, I bet we're going to have 2 great goaltenders, like San Jose and Minnesota did at one point. That'd be nice.

goalies are an iffy issue. Niemi was thought to be a stellar goalie and Tuuka Rask was thought to be the second coming of Tim Thomas and look what happened to those two. Steve Mason hasn't found his form since his rookie season. Goalies are a hit or miss most of the time and most of its all mentally in their head. They can when they are in the mind set to shut down games, but stuff gets cloady and they (Frank) up. Conklin is a great goalie, but he is horrible in the shoot out because he probably psychologically can't get into the mindset to focus and lock down the net since he already stated himself he sucks at shoot outs.

[theohall]

Keep Halak. Even when he is getting crushed - whether it is his fault, bad d-play, or screens - he never gets flustered. Always calm - which is a very good thing in a goalie. You don't see the deflating mannerisms from Halak like you do from Conklin when a bad one goes.

We have seen how good Halak can be when he is on and the Blues have the forwards to pressure an opponent, so the defense isn't getting forced to play in the Blues end 3/4ths of the night (see the recent Toronto game). When the Blues are able to keep the pressure up, Halak seems to play better and make the spectacular save on the occasional breakdown. When the Blues are playing poor defensively most of the game, it seems Halak does the same.

It's not just the goalie for the Blues right now, so this kind of talk is silly. We have no idea what Allen will do at the NHL level. We know Halak can be a playoff monster and that is a level of play way beyond what we've seen thus far. Looking forward to seeing the Blues in the playoffs, because they will be there and hopefully will have Oshie, Perron, and McDonald all back.

Actually had to correct a Detroit fan who tried to claim the Blues defense was their weakness. He didn't know the Blues 6 defensemen are all 1st round draft picks, nor that Halak was the Blues goalie - the loser.

[purple_haze]

Keep Halak. Even when he is getting crushed - whether it is his fault, bad d-play, or screens - he never gets flustered. Always calm - which is a very good thing in a goalie. You don't see the deflating mannerisms from Halak like you do from Conklin when a bad one goes.

We have seen how good Halak can be when he is on and the Blues have the forwards to pressure an opponent, so the defense isn't getting forced to play in the Blues end 3/4ths of the night (see the recent Toronto game). When the Blues are able to keep the pressure up, Halak seems to play better and make the spectacular save on the occasional breakdown. When the Blues are playing poor defensively most of the game, it seems Halak does the same.

It's not just the goalie for the Blues right now, so this kind of talk is silly. We have no idea what Allen will do at the NHL level. We know Halak can be a playoff monster and that is a level of play way beyond what we've seen thus far. Looking forward to seeing the Blues in the playoffs, because they will be there and hopefully will have Oshie, Perron, and McDonald all back.

Actually had to correct a Detroit fan who tried to claim the Blues defense was their weakness. He didn't know the Blues 6 defensemen are all 1st round draft picks, nor that Halak was the Blues goalie - the loser.

all detroit fans are idiots. they are the new york yankee fans of hockey.